The Birth of Venus
by tvfan69
Summary: Alternate ending to Vengeance is Mine. What if Shredder didn't want to take any chances that night? What if he decided to wait until AFTER all four turtles were trapped to add the serpent DNA? What if when Karai fell it was just ordinary mutagen? Just a one-shot exploring that possibility.


Ok so maybe this wasn't my best idea.

I could blame Shredder for this, and believe me I want to, but this was my choice.

He may have filled me with thoughts of vengeance, taught me that it was the only way to get even in this world, but I'm the one who chose to listen. I threw away my second chance, what kind of an idiot throws away a second chance at life? Well apparently I do. It's all so crazy. A month ago I found out that Leo wasn't lying, Hamato Yoshi is my father and Oroku Saki murdered my mother before kidnapping me. My blood begins to boil at the thought of it, how could he? HOW COULD HE? How can a person do that? How can-

"I smell the rat," Tiger Claw's words stop my thoughts cold.

A part of me knew they would come, and sure enough they all drop from the ceiling one by one, Raph landing on top of Stockman on purpose no doubt.

"Welcome my old friend," I hear Shredder greet my father and if I wasn't so afraid of his plan succeeding my blood would've boiled all over again.

"Let my daughter go." Father demands in a warning tone. Before they showed up I was licking the tape over my mouth in an attempt to get it off, but now I'm just flat out trying to scream through it.

I have to warn them. Shredder wants them to get to me, he doesn't plan to mutate me, I'm just the bait. Once the turtles, once my brothers, make it to the top of the tank Stockman is supposed to add serpent DNA into the mutagen; which would cause them to turn on our father. As I struggle against the tape and restraints, trying desperately to warn them about the trap, I hear Shredder challenge them to save me.

 _NO! Leave! It's a trap!_ I scream in my head as well as try to do so through my mouth but that isn't any use. Foot bots start to emerge below; even for a trap Shredder sure isn't going to make getting to me easy. The fight begins, my father goes right for Shredder, which both does and does not surprise me.

"Yes! Fight me rat!" Shredder bellows, I want to scream out in anger at the amount of satisfaction fighting Splinter is giving him.

The guys are taking out the foot bots easy, and I'm still struggling against this damn piece of tape that I swear Tiger Claw laced with super glue. A sudden snapping sound brought my attention back to the battle below, and I saw Donatello in a cage just as two more encased Michelangelo and Raphael. My eyes widened when I realized Shredder had already thought of what I thought was one huge hole in his plan. He didn't expect to lure all four turtles up to the tank; he intended to trap them on the floor. Just then the foot bots managed to get ropes around my father and tie him the way I've seen it done to horses in old western movies, just as Leo stumbled into one of Shredder's traps. I swear I was about to start full on thrashing in the cage when I saw Leo pry his way out of his cage, thank god for his sword. He started running, and for a split second I thought he was actually going for Shredder, but he ran right past him and cut a chain strung over a support near my cage.

"Hang on Karai!" He shouted just as he landed on top of the cage, rattling it and making my heart jump.

He reached down through the bars, the corner of his thumb skidding against my cheek as he pulled the tape off my mouth.

"Thanks," I said through a gasp for breath, he smiled down at me and for a moment everything seemed as though it was going to be ok.

For a moment.

"Leonardo!" Father's voice barely snapped us out of the moment, and before we even knew what happened Shredder had cut the chain, and we were falling.

On instinct Leo jumped to the side, and I'm assuming he made it over the edge of the tank. But I wasn't so lucky. I went plummeting into the mutagen, just barely having enough time to scream before my head jerked forward and then, thanks to the restraints on my wrists, slammed back and crashed against the back of the cage. I blinked, trying to fend off the all-consuming darkness, as the thick green liquid flooded my lungs. I coughed, trying to expel it from my body but it was no use. I felt my body changing, morphing, as the ooze covered every inch of my skin. I'd wondered in the past what mutating must feel like, and I don't know why but I always figured it would burn more. But instead I feel numb. I'm vaguely aware of my arms and legs getting thicker, my fingers and toes merging together, my figure broadening slightly as my clothes dissolved into the mutagen and I bust my way out of the cage. Finally having the sense to hold my breath I began swimming up the tank, trying to reach the top before I drown, but why hadn't I by now?

 _The mutagen I swallowed probably mutated my insides,_ I reasoned as I finally clawed through to the surface.

I gasped for breath and just barely managed to get over to the edge of the tank before the blackness finally over powered me just as I felt myself begin to fall.

* * *

I woke up with a loud gasp, as if I couldn't get air into my lungs fast enough. As I sat up I realized that I was in my father's arms at the base of the tank, and Shredder was screaming somewhere in the background, there's something new.

"What, what happened?" I gasped, of course that was a stupid question, I know I was mutated.

"Miwa," Father says to me in barely a whisper, and before I can ask anything else I look down at myself; and I see what I was turned into.

My stomach is still covered in armor, but it's not the silver armor I usually wear. Instead it's more of a beige color, and it's not made of metal. It's a plastron, and only now do I feel that father's hands are not pressing against skin of any kind, but against a hard shell. My arms and legs have turned green, and without looking I know I only have three fingers and three toes on each hand and foot. Suddenly the entire lab went up in flames, and only then did I notice that Leo had freed all the others and taken out most of the foot bots. Unfortunately the sparks had ignited a leaking barrel of oil and sent the lab up in a blaze.

"No my lab!" Stockman shouted as all his work literally went up in flames.

"Miwa, we must go!" Father said urgently as he helped me to my feet, I nodded but then nearly fell forward into a face plant. In fact I would have face planted if father didn't pull me back up.

"I'm fine," I declared before he could ask. I tried to run but it was no use, unused to my new body I kept tripping over my own feet and could barely stay upright.

"Oh we don't have time for this," Raphael growled, I didn't even realize he was right next to me until he had pulled me onto his back.

"Put me down!" I demanded as he carried me piggyback,

"Learn how to stand up princess and believe me I'd love to!" He shouted back, I only rolled my eyes because much as I hate to admit it, he's right.

"Fine, but stop calling me princess." I growled, but a smirk crossed my face as we left and a wall crashed behind us, because all I could hear was Shredder screaming in anger.

* * *

Once we made it back into the Shellraiser Raphael set me down in his seat, I tried to get back up in protest but he just glared at me, telling me that I'm in enough trouble already and if I know what's good for me I'll stay put. It was silent as Leo drove away, and it stayed that way until we were back in the sewer and the Shellraiser was parked a few feet from the lair. None of us moved until the doors were open, and when they opened we did nothing more than silently get out of our seats. The silence was broken when I tried to follow Raphael out, three seconds on my feet and I lost balance again. I braced for the impact of the hard metal floor, but it never came. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. To me it's a simple fact; I fall, I pick myself back up. But instead of meeting the hard surface of the floor I found myself dangling above it, held by a strong pair of green arms around my waist. The arms lifted me back up and set me on my feet, but I was still in such a shock that I only lost my balance again. Before I could fall, however, the hands that had caught me moved to my hips and held me steady as they turned me around. I found myself looking into the concerned eyes of Donatello and in mine all he saw was fear.

"Just take it easy, you just need to adjust." He more explained than advised but I nodded in response.

"Thank you, Donatello," I said and he simply smiled at me.

"Hey you're family, it's Donnie." He said before taking my left arm and placing it along his shoulders so I could lean on him. "Come on," he said and he helped me walk out of the van, catching me every time I stumbled.

By the time we reached the entrance to the lair the other three had all gone off to their own devises and I had a better handle on walking, though I was still leaning slightly on Donnie. Father, of course, was still standing in the doorway waiting for us and when we got there he looked to be an odd mix of angry and relieved. Not that I blame him.

"We will discuss this in the morning," he said before turning and heading for the dojo.

"Hai Sensei," I said in a defeated voice as he left, hanging my head in misery.

"Hey don't worry about it, everything worked out, the worst that'll happen is he'll ground you." Donnie said and I gave him a pathetic smile, but it was the best I could do. "Think you can walk?" He asked me, changing the topic and steering it away from my punishment.

"I think so," I answered and so slowly my little brother returned my arm to me and let go of me, though he didn't stand anymore more than a foot away from me.

I took one shaky step, then another, then I stumbled but caught myself on the turnstile before Donnie could. I steadied myself again, and only then did I notice Leo was sitting on the couch with the TV on, though his attention was on me. I made it to the stairs, but Donnie had to help me down them. Once those were out of the way he let go of me once again and allowed me to walk over to Leo on my own, my speed picking up to a normal pace just as I made it halfway.

"Good job," Leo said with a smirk before he climbed out of the pit and stood before me, looking me over as if he was only just now noticing I had mutated. "Well, you're definitely one of us now." He said with a chuckle and much as I would love to deny it a smile spread across my face.

"Yeah, which means you're going to need this!" Mikey's excited voice exclaimed from behind me. I turned around to see him and Raph entering from the hallway that leads to their bedrooms, Mikey clutching something in his hand and Raph with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Mikey you destroyed that thing, don't make her wear it!" He exclaimed but Mikey only stuck his tongue out in response.

"It is not DESTROYED," he defended himself, though clearly he wasn't denying that whatever they were talking about is ruined.

He hurried over to Donnie, Leo, and I with Raph trailing slowly behind him, not wanting to be too involved in whatever was going on.

"Make me wear what?" I asked and in response Mikey unclutched his fist, revealing a light blue bandana-mask, just like the ones he and his brother's wear.

"Just a warning, one of the ties was a lot thicker than the other so I had to cut it in half but cutting one half off would've left a big hole so…" he trailed off as I took the mask, holding it up to notice that it had three tails instead of two.

"Told ya he destroyed it," Raph commented

"At least I got the eyeholes right!" Mikey shouted in defense, I held the mask up to my face and sure enough he was right, the eyeholes were perfect.

"It doesn't matter if she can't tie it!" Raph exclaimed in return but as an idea came to me I only smirked.

"Says who?" I asked; that was when Raph and Mikey turned their attention back to me, obviously surprised that I had the mask on my face with my arms behind my head. It took a minute to figure out, to adjust to my three thick fingers, but I soon got the hang of using them well enough to twist the three ties into a long braid. "It's been awhile since I had long hair, I kind of like it." I said which caused Mikey's face to light up like a Christmas tree, and a slight grin crossed Raph's.

"Awesome! Now all you need is a mutant name!" Mikey exclaimed

"No!" The other three all shouted at him, catching us both off guard.

"You are NOT giving our sister a monster name!" Donnie shouted, catching me way off guard with the sister comment.

"You know the rules Mikey, if anyone in the family mutates you're not allowed to change their name." Leo said sternly, because that's such a normal rule for a family to have.

"Do you think you could make an exception to that?" I asked sheepishly, all eyes turned on me. "I'm sorry but I don't want to be Shredder's daughter anymore, I want to be one of you, but I can't do that if I start seething with rage every time I hear my own name." I explained, hoping that they would make an exception and let me change my name.

"We had no idea you felt that way," Leo said, to be truthful neither did I, but the instant Mikey suggested changing my name I suddenly found myself wanting that more than anything else in the world.

"Well what about Miwa?" Donnie suggested; we all turned to look at him. "Technically it is your name, Karai's just what Shredder decided to call you." He continued, I considered the idea for a minute, but ended up shaking my head. Ever since I found out the truth, I've been thinking of Miwa as this other person. Miwa is Hamato Yoshi's daughter; she isn't consumed by vengeance and poor judgment, she isn't me.

"Thanks but I don't think I've earned that yet," I said and the looks they gave me were those of surprise, but Leo's was also mixed with heartbreak and even a slight hint of understanding.

"That isn't something you have to earn," he said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder but I shrugged him off.

"To me it is, please just pick something else." I requested and although his face seemed to fall even more, Mikey's began to brighten.

"Ok, but whatever we pick it's just a temporary name until you're ready to be called Miwa again." He told me and I gave him a smile in response.

"Fair enough," I agreed, and the others seemed happy with this arrangement, especially Raph.

A split second later and any tension in the room was gone, and Mikey was rattling off things both about me and about the rest of them.

"Let's see, Splinter named us after those painters but I don't know of any girl painters from that renaissance thing." He said

"Artemisia Gentileschi, Plautilla Nelli, Sofonisba Anguissola," Donnie listed in contradiction to Mikey's claim.

"Sofia doesn't sound bad," Raph offered after hearing the last option Donnie named

"Sofonisba," Donnie corrected, either way I hated the name.

"I kind of like that first one," Leo chimed in

"Artemisia? Too long," I said, although out of the three Donnie named that one did sound the least terrible in my opinion.

"We all have nicknames," Leo said

"What is short for Artemisia?" I scoffed and Leo only shrugged

"I don't know, Arty?" He suggested and I couldn't help but scrunch up… my nose? Well the point is I didn't like the nickname, "let's call that plan B," I said

"Wait I got it!" Mikey finally exclaimed, "What was that painting we saw in the book? The one named after that planet?" He asked and Donnie face palmed at the question.

"The Venus de Milo isn't named after the planet Mikey, it's a painting of the-" he was cut off by the clap of Mikey's hands.

"Venus de Milo, that's it!" He exclaimed in victory

"Venus de Milo? Kind of… long, don't ya think?" Raph questioned

"None of you go by your full names, Venus for short?" I said with a shrug and Raph shrugged in return.

"It's your name," he said

"I like it," Donnie put in and Leo nodded

"So do I," he said and so after another second or two of thought I gave a nod which lit up Mikey's face.

"Venus it is."

* * *

 **Author's note: Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews and i'm glad you liked this one-shot, i've just entered it in a contest on inkett called "fandom 3". My screen name is the same but i've posted it under the title "One of Us" (don't ask why, i just felt like it) and it would really mean a lot to me if you guys could go and vote for me!**


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